Process and apparatus for constructing a building



June 21, 1966 MING-YANG CHANG 3,257,481

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June 21, 1966 MING-YANG CHANG PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUC'IING A BUILDING 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 25, 1962 HUIHUHIHHH[HHTHHI 7 /l J SEEP/665 United States Patent Office 3,257,481 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING Ming-Yang Chang, P.P.R.I.C., 3420 University St., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Nov. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,557 Claims priority, application Canada, Nov. 28, 1961,

837,029 2 Claims. (Cl. 26445) This invention relates to a construction process in the architectural field, more particularly for the erection of buildings having complex shapes.

It is commonly known in the construction industry that field work is the main consideration in any architecture, and the work of assembly plays the most important part in the field work for erecting a building. In effecting this operation, it is required that skillful personnel, large quantities of building materials, as well as a great number of construction machines be brought together at a definite place and within a required, prolonged period of time. All these requirements produce many difficulties and greatly increase the costs of the erected building, especially when a specific, inconvenient environment is concerned, say, the Arctic areas or the outer space around the earth. It is evident that if a greater amount of field work could be accomplished in the factory the overall cost of a building construction would be significantly reduced.

I have found that these disadvantages of present building constructing methods may be overcome by abandoning the traditional, mainly manually operated assembly work and utilizing two scientific phenomena as main tools in a new construction process. According to a novel process, as hereinafter disclosed, the field work may be reduced to only two steps, namely, the shaping (to give the building shape) and the strengthening (to give the building strength). In order to combine these two steps into a unit operation, a specially designed flexible, double or multiple layer, network mold or moldingcapsule, manufactured from a flexible and substantially inextensible material, such as reinforced plastic laminae, is employed as the key function for this construction. Thus, there are two operational stages involved, i.e., the manufacture of the molding capsule, and its application in field work.

Briefly, an embodiment of the invention includes formation of an integral mold which ultimately forms the confines of a building structure, i.e., floor, walls, and roof. The mold, which is made from a flexible, substantially inextensible, plastic laminae material, is formed to provide an inner inflatable chamber, and a molding jacket alfixed in parallel spaced relation to the exterior surface of the chamber, to thus provide enclosed cavities for receipt of a solidifying plastic material. To construct a building from the mold, liquid plastic material is injected into the cavities of the portion of the mold defining the 'floor of the structure. When the plastic material has sulficiently cured or set, compressed air is admitted into the inflatable chamber to expand it into the ultimate interior dimensions of the structure. Liquid plastic material is then injected into the jacket cavities of the wall and roof portions. After the plastic material is cured or set, openings providing doors and windows, as desired, are cut in the molded building structure.

It will be seen that a building structure made in accordance with the principles of the subject invention, not only provides great economies in manufacture, but affords convenient and speedy erection, which may be critical factors under certain environmental conditions.

Patented June 21, 1966 It is a principal object of the invention to provide a process and apparatus for fabricating building structures in an exceptionally economical manner.

A further principal object of the invention to provide a process and apparatus for erecting building structures in a convenient and speedy manner, which may be critical factors under certain environmental conditions.

These and further objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a flow sheet of the construction process according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of one embodiment incorporating the principles of the invention wherein the molding-capsule is hemicylindrical in shape;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG- UR E 2;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the embodiment of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a section view generally as seen along line 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5A is an enlarged view of a portion of the FIG. 5 illustration;

FIGURE 6 is a section view generally as seen along line 6-6 in FIG. 2;

FIGURE 6A is an enlarged view of a portion of the FIG. 6 illustration; and

FIGURE 6B is an enlarged view of another portion of the FIG. 6 illustration.

Two operational stages of this invention comprise:

Factory work This phase of operation deals with the manufacture of molding-capsules within a factory, or some convenient place generally removed from the actual construction site. In this operation, a special mold is constructed in such a Way that two isolated main spaces within the moldingcapsule, are available for the two steps applied in the field Work. They are the main capsule space 1 and the attached, sandwich-like network, molding-jacket space 2 (it is called molding-jacket because it is employed as a mold for injectionable materials to be cured or hardened therein). The main capsule 3 is adapted to give a spherical, cylindrical, hemispherical, hemicylindrical, or some other complex shape when it has been inflated by admiting compressed air thereinto through tube 4. The molding-jacket 5 can be regarded as the second layer of the main capsule 3 attached to the main capsule body 3 by some strings or strips 6. The space between these two layers (3 and 5) is called jacket-space or moldingspace 2 with one or several tubes 7 connecting this space to the outside so that a syrup-like premixed substance may be injected through tubes 7 into the jacket-space 2. Furthermore, this jacket-space can be divided into several isolated sub-jackets, i.e., base or basement jacket 8, side wall jacket 9, main wall jacket 10, and reinforcing edge jacket 11, with one or several tubes for each space to permit injecting the syrup-like material into one space at a time, or several spaces at the same time. When this molding-capsule has been constructed, its shape and airtightness can be checked by admitting compressed air into both spaces 1 and 2. As indicated in FIG. 6A, if P P the wall between these two pressures will bend in such a way that the center of curvature is located within the space of the higher pressure given by the equation, P -P t/R where t is the tensile stress exerted on the wall 3 along the direction tangent to R, and R is the radius of curvature of the bended surface. Thereafter, the molding-capsule can be packaged for storage or shipping, after exhausting all the air from. the jacket spaces.

- Q J Field work This phase of operation deals with a two step construction of a building in the field, i.e., at place of use.

(1) The step of shaping. After the fixing of the foundation of the molding-capsule, which can be done either by fixing the corner rings 12 of the basement jacket 8, or by injecting syrup-like premixed materials into the space of the basement jacket 8 and waiting for solidification of same to give a single solid piece of the flat basement, the step of shaping is carried out by admitting high pressure air or other inert gas or liquid into the inner space 1 of the main capsule 3 until the full pre-shape of the molding-capsule is obtained. It is also important that the rigidity gained by the inflated main capsule body 3 be sufficient not only to give this body its due shape, but also to bear the weight of the whole building, except that of the basement, when the syrup-like premixed materials are injected into the jacket-space or spaces. This is represented by the following empirical formula:

kXweight, of building cross area of main capsule body of which k is the coeflicient of safety. This pressure must, of course, be maintained until the premixed materials, the injection whereof is described in the following step of strengthening, are sufficiently solidified to support their own weight.

(2) The step of strengthening. This step is achieved by injecting into the jacket-space or spaces 2 some syruplike premixed organic or inorganic synthetic plastics or resins, such as polyisocyanate foaming resin, for example. (Literature about this resin may be found in Ind. Eng. Chem., vol. 46, p. 1498, July 1954; or in Modern Plastics, vol. 31, p. 187, July 1954.) Under certain conditions of use, a building structure may be advantageously formed from thermoplastic resinous materials of the type disclosed in US. Patents 2,958,905 and 2,959,508, both of which issued on November 8, 1960. The resin is spread in the jacket space or spaces 2 following their shape and structure and then, due to its foamingin-place effect, it hardens and solidifies therein. This step of curing or hardening of the resin requires about Pressure required= 24 hours to obtain maximum strength. Thus, a firm,-

tough, sandwichlike resin wall is erected, which, through the crosslinking ability of the synthetic resin, holding both the laminate walls of the main capsule 3 and of the molding-jacket 5 tightly together, produces a single piece framework structure. The main figure and the basic structure of the building are obtained after exhausting the compressed air from space 1 of the main capsule 3.

As to the doors and windows, they can be directly cut out of the wall after the resin sets, i.e., hardens, by means of a machine chain saw, or other satisfactory cutting tools.

The foregoing description has been given in detail without thought of limitation since the inventive principles involved are capable of assuming other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for constructing a building comprising the steps of: (a) forming an integral flexible building wall with an inner lamina of flexible and substantially inextensible material which is adapted to be inflated, and an outer lamina of flexible and substantially inextensible material spaced from said inner lamina with a plurality of distinct molding spaces therebetween adapted to be filled with curable material, said mold defining the foundation, the side walls and the roof of said building and having means to secure the foundation portion of said mold to the ground; (b) securing said mold to the ground; (c) inflating said inner lamina with an inert fluid until a required pre-determined shape is obtained; ((1) injecting syrup-like material capable of being cured into the moldlug-jacket spaces which define said foundation; (e) allowing said material to cure to form a solid foundation for said building; (f) then injecting additional syrup-like material capable of being cured into the molding-jacket spaces which define the side walls and roof of said building; (g) allowing said material to cure; (h) exhausting the fluid from said inner lamina of material; and (i) cutting doors and windows through said side walls whereby a solid structure of required geometrical shape with access openings therein is obtained.

2. A flexible building mold for constructing a solid structure of pre-determined geometrical shape including a foundation, side walls and roof so as to define a complete building comprising: an inner lamina of flexible and substantially inextensible material which is adapted to be inflated; an outer lamina of flexible and substantially inextensible material; a plurality of webs securing. said outer lamina in parallel spaced relation with said inner lamina and dividing the space between said inner and outer lamina into a plurality of molding-jacket spaces; said spaces defining the foundation, side walls and roof of said building and said spaces which define the foundation being distinct from said spaces which define the side walls and roof; first valve means for inflating and exhausting said inner lamina; second valve means for injecting a curable material into said plurality of moldingjacket spaces defining said foundation; third valve means for injecting a curable material into said plurality of molding-jacket spaces defining said side walls and roof and rings at the corners of said outer lamina positioned adjacent the molding-jacket spaces defining said foundation for securing said foundation to the ground.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics, Inflatable, Rubberized Tent Serves for Storage or Shelter, Dec. 1956, p. 155.

Science News Letter, Sun-Proof Igloo, January 1960, page 7.

ALEXANDER H. BRODMERKEL, Primary Examiner.

P. E. ANDERSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PROCESS FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) FORMING AN INTEGRAL FLEXIBLE BUILDING WALL WITH AN INNER LAMINA OF FLEXIBLE AND SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLE MATERIAL WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE INFLATED, AND AN OUTER LAMINA OF FLEXIBLE AND SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLE MATERIAL SPACED FROM SAID INNER LAMINA WITH A PLURALITY OF DISTINCT MOLDING SPACES THEREBETWEEN ADAPTED TO BE FILLED WITH CURABLE MATERIAL, SAID MOLD DEFINING THE FOUNDDATION, THE SIDE WALLS AND THE ROOF OF SAID BUILDING AND HAVING MEANS TO SECURE THE FOUNDATION PORTION OF SAID MOLD TO THE GROUND; (B) SECURING SAID MOLD TO THE GROUND; (C) INFLATING SAID INNER LAMINA WITH AN INERT FLUID UNTIL A REQUIRED PRE-DETERMINED SHAPE IS OBTAINED; (D) INJECTING SYRUP-LIKE MATERIAL CAPABLE OF BEING CURED INTO THE MOLDING-JACKET SPACES WHICH EFINE SAID FOUNDATION; (E) ALLOWING SAID MATERIAL TO CURE TO FORM A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR SAID BUILDING; (F) THEN INJECTING ADDITIONAL SYRUP-LIKE MATERIAL CAPABLE OF BEING CURED INTO THE MOLDING-JACKET SPACES WHICH DEFINE THE SIDE WALLS AND ROOF OF SAID BUILDING; (G) ALLOWING SAID MATERIAL TO CURE; (H) EXHAUSTING THE FLUID FROM SAID INNER LAMINA OF MATERIAL; AND (I) CUTTING DOORS AND WINDOWS THROUGH SAID SIDE WALLS WHEREBY A SOLID STRUCTURE OF REQUIRED GEOMETRICAL SHAPE WITH ACCESS OPENINGS THEREIN IS OBTAINED. 